[Risks in transfusion therapy (author's transl)]

This article reviews in detail our present knowledge concerning the pathogenesis, clinical picture and therapy of the most serious complications of blood transfusion (the hemolytic transfusion reaction, the febrile transfusion reaction, the acute posttransfusion pulmonary syndrome, the posttransfusion purpura, the anaphylactic transfusion reaction and the "posttransfusion" hepatitis). Recent literature is quoted.